Cavaliers notes: Waiters' tendinitis improves

Dion Waiters said the tendinitis in his right wrist might linger for a while, but it feels way better than it did.
The Cavaliers shooting guard was activated on Thursday against the Hawks.
He’s not sure what caused it, just that it was painful. He hasn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 17 vs. Portland. He has been sidelined in the previous three games.
“It just started feeling worse and worse,” he said. “I couldn’t shoot the ball, dribble or pass. It started about two weeks ago and I shook it off, but it got worse.”
He knew something was wrong when his wrist started to swell and the pain got worse.
“It’s going to linger, but it’s way better,” Waiters said. “I can do things I couldn’t do before. It will bother me a little bit, but nothing that will keep me out.”
Doctors had the wrist in a hard cast. Now, he’s wearing a pad.
“If I miss (a few shots), this might come off,” Waiters said.
He came into Thursday’s game second on the team in scoring at 14.9 points per game.Kyrie hanging in there
Cavs guard Kyrie Irving remains second in the fan voting for the NBA All-Star Game among backcourt players in the Eastern Conference.
Heat guard Dwyane Wade is first with 565,455 votes, followed by Irving with 524,000. He has a substantial lead over Bulls guard Derrick Rose, who has 299,950 votes
The top two backcourt players will start in each conference.Cha-cha-changes
Cavs coach Mike Brown is hinting at changes to his starting lineup and rotation.
Brown said with the Cavs’ lackluster 10-17 record coming into Thursday’s game, he has the right to tinker with the starting lineup and rotation.
“The coaches have been talking about this for the last three or four days,” Brown said. “Until we have a stranglehold on this thing, we’ll be like this. I want to constantly find ways to get better.”Putting in OT
Long after the 23-point loss to Detroit last Monday, when most of the players and coaches had gone home to be with their families, Cavs guard C.J. Miles went back out on the court.
He was taking shot after shot on the Quicken Loans Arena floor.
“That night, I (had) reached my point,” he said. “It was a little bit frustration, a little bit wanting to see my shots going in on the court.”
The Cavs have a practice court on the fourth floor of the building, but Miles wanted nothing to do with it.
“I don’t shoot on those baskets on the practice court,” he said. “I just wanted to get some work in.”Careless with the ball
Miles has had at least four costly turnovers in the previous two games, several on cross-court passes.
“He has to manage his turnover situation,” Brown said. “We’ve had a lot of bad errors. We don’t have a large margin of error.”Zeller’s time?
Cavs backup center Tyler Zeller said he’s getting a little impatient with his lack of playing time.
“Hopefully, when I get my chance, I want to make the best of it,” he said. “I feel I’m more ready every day.”
He started 55 games last year at center.
“That’s helped me a lot,” he said. “I do know how to play. I’ve played against the starters.”
Brown is trying to find minutes for the 7-footer.
“I have to find ways to get him on the floor if I can,” Brown said.Quick shots
-- The Hawks are first in the NBA in assists. “They do a great job passing the ball,” Zeller said. “They are a beast in pick-and-roll.”
-- Miles said he’s starting to get more comfortable in a starting role. “Now, it’s about doing my job of making shots, affecting the game and be more consistent shooting the 3s,” he said. “I want to keep bringing energy, that spark.”
-- Miles knows shooters, and he holds Hawks swingman Kyle Korver in high regard. “He might go down as the best shooter ever,” he said.
-- Irving didn’t score in the last meeting vs. Atlanta on Dec. 6. He was 0 of 9 from the field. “I’m sure he wants to show that was a fluke,” Brown said.
-- Hawks guard John Jenkins is sidelined with a back injury, while forward Cartier Martin has been bothered with a sprained ankle.

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About the Author

Bob has covered the Cavs for The News-Herald and Morning Journal since 1995. He's a graduate of Kent State University and New Philadelphia High School. Reach the author at rfinnan@news-herald.com
or follow Bob on Twitter: @BobCavsinsider.